Egypt has successfully recovered 36 illegally exported Egyptian artifacts from the United States of America.

The recovery process was carried out through the diligent efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, represented by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, in full coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, the International Cooperation Department of the Egyptian Public Prosecutor’s Office, and all relevant security and regulatory authorities within the Arab Republic of Egypt.

An archaeological committee from the Supreme Council of Antiquities received these artifacts to deposit them in the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, in preparation for their restoration and exhibition according to the museum’s display plan.

This achievement is also the result of fruitful cooperation with the relevant U.S. authorities, particularly the Office of the District Attorney of New York, within the framework of the bilateral memorandum of understanding between Egypt and the United States on the protection and repatriation of antiquities.

Mr. Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, noted that the recovery of these artifacts confirms Egypt’s steadfast commitment to protecting its heritage, preserving its civilizational assets, and reclaiming antiquities that have left the country illegally. He praised the productive cooperation between Egyptian and American institutions, reflecting a growing recognition of the importance of combating the illicit trade of cultural and archaeological property and protecting human heritage, and emphasized the continuation of efforts to recover every artifact that has left Egypt illegally.

As per Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the recovery of this collection represents a new step within a series of achievements accomplished thanks to the scientific and legal approach that Egypt adopts regarding the repatriation of antiquities. He emphasized that these artifacts are not merely historical objects, but living witnesses to a civilization created by the Egyptians over thousands of years, and their return to the homeland crowns diligent efforts and effective international cooperation.

Mr. Shaaban Abdel-Gawad, Director-General of the Department of Repatriated Antiquities and Supervisor of the Central Administration of Archaeological Borders at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that the recovered artifacts comprise three main groups:

  • The first group: 11 artifacts handed over by the Office of the District Attorney of New York, including a mummy mask of a young man from the Roman period, a vessel shaped like the deity Bes, and a funerary limestone panel from the Roman era.

  • The second group: 24 rare manuscripts containing writings in both Coptic and Syriac, handed over by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Egyptian Consulate in New York as a voluntary initiative.

  • The third group: A colored plaster panel from the 18th Dynasty, confiscated by the Office of the District Attorney of New York after it was proven to have left Egypt illegally.